If you are someone who thinks that Chai is a type of flavouring syrup which gets added to lattes, stop right where you are. Chai acutally just means tea in most South Asian countries but in Australia it specifically refers to Masala Chai, an Indian blend of spices and black tea commonly consumed with milk and sweetener. The mix of spices in Masala Chai varies but most of them will contain cloves, nutmeg, star anise and cinnamon at the very least.
When Saturday rolled around, Husband and Wiggle were both deathly ill with a cold so I made some hasty phone calls and got morning tea moved to a friend's house. Fortunately I'd organised it as a 'bring-a-plate' affair so it was easy to move.
The cupcakes were a big hit and my choice of Vanilla Bean for the frosting, which I had agonised over, turned out to be spot on - flavoursome enough to complement the cakes but not overpowering. These ones I will make again!
1/2 cup hot water 1 tbsp Masala Chai 1/2 cup milk 125g butter 1tsp vanilla essence 3/4 cup castor sugar 2 eggs 1 1/2 cups flour 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon chinese five spice
100g butter 1 vanilla seed pod 2 cups icing sugar 2 tbsp milk
Method
Put Masala Chai and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Boil 2-3 minutes and reduce to a simmer. Add milk and simmer a further 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat. Cream butter, sugar and vanilla essence until pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add flour, ground spices and 1/2 cup of your freshly brewed chai and mix thoroughly. Spoon batter into patty pans and bake at 180 degrees for 20-25 mins or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Beat butter until very pale. Split seed pods and scrape the beans out into the butter. Add icing sugar and continue beating. Add milk, a little at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Spread over cooled cupcakes and enjoy!
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